Street Machine Drag Challenge with DC Tuning – Day 3

It was at this moment that I realised that I hadn’t explained what Drag Challenge was.  The key word… Challenge.  This didn’t just mean it is difficult – drag racing already is.  Sure, you can run your drag car down the quarter, or the eighth, but can you then hook up a trailer and make it completely road legal and drive it hundreds of kilometres to the next track day, after day, after day?  this was the challenge.

There were rules associated with the challenge, namely:

• The event is open to four-wheel vehicles of any year, make or model. No bikes.

• Current licence and registration are required.  The key word here is registration.  The car needs to be street registered

• Any type of fuel may be used, but if it’s something exotic you’ll have to find some way of carrying extra fuel safely (maximum of 200 litres to be carried, plus the car’s tank capacity). No fuel lines running from trailers.

• Towing to Heathcote Park Raceway on Day One is fine, but once competition starts on Day One, the only reason your car will be anywhere near a car trailer or support vehicle is if you’re out of the competition. You will not be able to access your tow vehicle and/or trailer from the start of racing on Day One until the end of the competition on Day Five – unless you’re out. This includes on the open road, at fuel stops and at motels. No tow cars or support vehicles!

•Vehicles may not be led or followed by support vehicles of any kind.

• All vehicles must be driven under their own power during the entire Drag Challenge competition and may not be towed, trailered or pushed by another vehicle at any time.

• Each competition vehicle may tow a single-axle trailer no more than 190cm high

• Drag Challenge competitors may borrow or buy parts, tools and supplies from each other and may help each other with manpower.

• All competition vehicles must run competition tyres (slicks or drag radials) on the track. No hard-compound street tyres are allowed

• The on-road drive is part of the Drag Challenge competition and following the specified route is mandatory. Traffic, potholes, wet weather, wildlife and winding roads should be expected. Drive accordingly and be safe at all times. If you leave the route for any reason you must rejoin the route at the same location.

• Each day’s drive has at least one mandatory checkpoint. Each entrant is required to take a photo of their car at the checkpoint and show it to Drag Challenge officials when they hand in their timeslip the next day.

There were quite a number of other rules that i’ve left off the above summary, but in a nutshell… carry everything you think you’ll need either in your car or trailer, make sure you’ve got enough fuel to race with and get you to the next track while staying under the maximum allowed to carry, no support vehicles are allowed – you need to be self sufficient, make sure you follow the correct route to the next track and take a photo of your car at the required checkpoint on the way.

Important rules, but also what makes this event so different to the norm.